What’s the best card to use for Kris+?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know by now that the Kris+ app (Android | iOS) is one of the best ways to rack up additional miles on day-to-day spend. 

S$5 for new Kris+ Users

Get S$5 (in the form of 750 KrisPay miles) when you sign-up with code W644363 and make your first transaction

In fact, Kris+ has been living on steroids for the past 20 months or so, as Singapore Airlines signed up merchants by the dozens and pumped in the cash for mega-promotions. While there will be a cut in earn rates from 1 May 2023, you’re still looking at 9 mpd at more than 160 merchants.

Keep in mind, that’s before factoring in credit card miles, which can yield an additional 4-6 mpd. It’s all about using the right card!

What card should I use with Kris+?

Here’s a brief reminder of the ground rules for Kris+:

• All Kris+ payments must be made in-app via Apple Pay or Google Pay
• All Kris+ transactions code as online
• Kris+ transactions retain the original MCC of the underlying transaction
• By default, Kris+ will attempt to pay with your existing KrisPay miles balance. You must disable the toggle on the payment screen to pay with Apple or Google Pay instead

All Kris+ transactions

Best Cards for Kris+ (All Categories)
Card	Earn Rate	Remarks
DBS WWMC Apply	4 mpd	Max. S$2K per c. month
Citi Rewards + Amaze Apply	4 mpd	Max. S$1K per s. month. Do not use Citi Rewards Card alone- no bonuses
KrisFlyer UOB Card Apply	3 mpd	No cap

If you want a fuss-free solution that’s MCC agnostic, then any of the above cards will work.

The DBS Woman’s World Card earns 4 mpd on Kris+ transactions, capped at S$2,000 per calendar month, by virtue of the fact they code as online.

While the Citi Rewards Card alone will only earn 0.4 mpd on Kris+ transactions (because of the exception clause for in-app Apple/Google Pay payments) pairing it with the Amaze Card will circumvent the restriction. This allows you to earn 4 mpd on the first S$1,000 per statement month. 

However, do remember that Apple Pay does not support Amaze, so this is only a solution for Android users (while Apple users can download Google Pay, Kris+ won’t let you use it if you’re an iPhone user).

Finally, the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card was enhanced in November 2022 to offer an uncapped 3 mpd on Kris+, with no minimum spend required. 

Kris+ Dining

🍴 Best Cards for Kris+ Dining
Card	Earn Rate	Remarks
UOB Lady’s Card Apply	6 mpd	Max. S$1K per c. month. Must choose dining as 10X category
UOB Lady’s Solitaire Apply	6 mpd	Max. S$3K per c. month. Must choose dining as 10X category
HSBC Revolution Apply	4 mpd	Max. S$1K per c. month
UOB Pref. Plat. Visa Apply	4 mpd	Max. S$1.1K per c. month
Maybank Horizon Apply	3.2 mpd	Min. S$300 spend per c. month on any category. Capped at ~S$4.2K per month
C. Month= Calendar Month | M. Year= Membership Year
These cards are in addition to those mentioned in the Kris+ (All Categories) table above

If you’re paying at a restaurant with Kris+, then the UOB Lady’s Card or UOB Lady’s Solitaire, with dining selected as the quarterly bonus category, will earn 6 mpd on the first S$1,000 or S$3,000 per calendar month.

Alternatively, you can go with the HSBC Revolution or UOB Preferred Platinum Visa for 4 mpd on the first S$1,000 or S$1,110 per calendar month, or the Maybank Horizon Visa Signature for 3.2 mpd with a minimum overall spend of S$300, and capped at S$4,285 per month.

Do note that the “safest” card to use for dining would still be the HSBC Revolution or UOB Preferred Platinum Visa, since they have the broadest definition of dining. 

🍽️ Comparison of Dining Card MCC Coverage
5811	✅	✅	✅
5812	✅	✅	✅	✅
5813	✅
5814	✅	✅	✅
5441	✅		✅
5462	✅		✅
5499	✅	✅	✅
MCC Descriptions
MCC 5811: Caterers (Eatz, Stamford) MCC 5812: Eating Places and Restaurants (Crystal Jade, Paradise) MCC 5813:  Bars and Nightclubs (Brewerkz, Brotzeit) MCC 5814: Fast Food Restaurants (McDonald’s, KFC) MCC 5441: Candy, Nut and Confectionery (Candy Empire, See’s Candies) MCC 5462: Bakeries (Bengawan Solo, Four Leaves) MCC 5499: Misc. Food Stores (Famous Amos, Nespresso)

Kris+ Shopping

🛍️ Best Cards for Kris+ Shopping
Card	Earn Rate	Remarks
UOB Lady’s Card Apply	6 mpd	Max. S$1K per c. month. Must choose fashion as 10X category
UOB Lady’s Solitaire Apply	6 mpd	Max. S$3K per c. month. Must choose fashion as 10X category
HSBC Revolution Apply	4 mpd	Max. S$1K per c. month
UOB Pref. Plat. Visa Apply	4 mpd	Max. S$1.1K per c. month
OCBC Titanium Rewards Apply	4 mpd	Max. S$13, 335 per m. year
C. Month= Calendar Month | M. Year= Membership Year
These cards are in addition to those mentioned in the Kris+ (All Categories) table above

Shopping is a bit of a tricky category because of the sheer number of possible MCCs involved. 

You’ll need to compare the MCC (here’s how to find it before making a transaction) against the T&Cs for your card, but generally speaking the HSBC Revolution and UOB Preferred Platinum Visa cover the widest range. 

Card	Shopping MCCs
HSBC Revolution	4816, 5045, 5262, 5309, 5310, 5311, 5331, 5399, 5611, 5621, 5631, 5641, 5651, 5655, 5661, 5691, 5699, 5732 to 5735, 5912, 5942, 5944 to 5949, 5964 to 5970, 5992, 5999
OCBC Titanium	5311, 5611, 5621, 5631, 5641, 5651, 5661, 5691, 5045, 5732, 5699
UOB Lady’s Card	5311, 5611, 5621, 5631, 5651, 5655, 5661, 5691, 5699, 5948
UOB Lady’s Solitaire
UOB Pref. Plat Visa	4816, 5262, 5306, 5309, 5310, 5311, 5331, 5399, 5611, 5621, 5631, 5641, 5651, 5661, 5691, 5699, 5732-5735, 5912, 5942, 5944-5949, 5964-5970, 5992, 5999

For shopping, the UOB Lady’s Card or UOB Lady’s Solitaire, with fashion selected as the quarterly bonus category, will earn 6 mpd on the first S$1,000 or S$3,000 per calendar month. 

Alternatively, you can go with the HSBC Revolution or UOB Preferred Platinum Visa for 4 mpd on the first S$1,000 or S$1,110 per calendar month. If you’re making a big ticket purchase, consider the OCBC Titanium Rewards instead since its 4 mpd cap is S$13,335 per membership year. 

Transfer your miles immediately!

Here’s the standard PSA: whenever you earn any miles through the Kris+ app, be sure to transfer them to your KrisFlyer account immediately. There’ll be a big blue “transfer to KrisFlyer” button that pops up after payment; you can’t miss it.

If you:

• wait more than seven days, or
• spend any of the miles earned on a given transaction via the Kris+ app

your balance will be stuck in Kris+ where it can only be spent at a paltry rate of 150 miles = S$1, and expires after 6 months. 

Conclusion

S$5 for new Kris+ Users

Get S$5 (in the form of 750 KrisPay miles) when you sign-up with code W644363 and make your first transaction

By matching the right credit card with Kris+, you can earn up to 15 mpd on your dining, shopping and other retail spend- a very generous return, all things considered. 

Be sure to browse the Kris+ app periodically because they also run limited-time flash deals with certain merchants that offer upsized miles or in-store discounts.